GADAG/BENGALURU: With less than a fortnight for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge on Thursday stoked a controversy by likening Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a “venomous snake”. After coming under fire from the BJP, which is likely to make it a major election issue, Kharge and his party tried to control the damage by clarifying that it was not his intention to hurt anyone.
“Beware of mistaking him (Modi). Modi means a venomous snake and if you lick it wondering whether it is poisonous or not, you are dead. If you mistook it (poison) for a good thing since it is Modi, a good man and PM, has offered it, and lick it a little bit to test it, you get laid down there itself,” he stated at a public rally, campaigning for Congress candidate GS Patil at Naregal in Gadag district.
Kharge also attacked Modi in the singular as a “greedy man who is hungry for power”, who “shares dais with the corrupt despite speaking about curbing corruption”. “He has come to destroy the country through his ideology,” he remarked.
In a politically charged atmosphere, Kharge’s remarks invited strong criticism from BJP leaders, with the controversy erupting just ahead of the PM’s visit to the state on Saturday, to campaign for party candidates. With the BJP’s rank and file lambasting Kharge, the party gave clear indications that it would make it a major issue.
The AICC president’s remarks come at a time when the Congress is trying to keep the focus on local issues, while BJP is banking on Modi’s rallies to turn the tide. “The remarks about the PM show the Congress’ culture,” said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Did not attack anybody personally, says Kharge
“The Congress has reached such a stage today because of talking in that manner. The intoxication of power has not come down for the Congress party. Karnataka is a land of culture and everyone is respected here. We may differ from the ideology of Kharge, but he will be respected for his seniority. It’s unfortunate that someone of his seniority spoke that way,” Bommai said.
“This will be a turning point in Karnataka elections. People here do not accept crass personal comments against anyone, let alone our most loved PM. Just wait and watch how the last nail on the Congress coffin will be hammered on May 10th (sic),” tweeted MP Tejasvi Surya. Meanwhile, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje filed a complaint against Kharge with CEO Manoj Kumar Meena.
BJP leaders demanded that Kharge apologise. However, later in the day, Kharge backtracked. “I have not attacked anybody personally. I meant to say that BJP ideologies are like snakes, and if anybody adopts them, they will die,” he said. “BJP’s ideology is divisive, hostile and full of hatred and prejudice towards the poor and Dalits…My statement was not a personal attack on PM Modi, but on the ideology he represents,” the AICC president tweeted.
“It was not my intention to hurt anyone’s sentiments; and if knowingly or unknowingly someone’s sentiments were hurt, it was never my intention, nor is it the conduct of my long political life. I have always followed the norms and traditions of political correctness towards friends and opponents and will do so till my last breath.”
He said: “I do not make fun of people and their problems like people sitting in high positions because I have seen and suffered the pain and suffering of the poor and downtrodden....,” he elaborated.
AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala defended Kharge.
“It is not a personal battle between Kharge and Modi, but between ideologies,” he said. “He (Kharge) rose from block-level president to AICC president, having hailed from the Dalit community. Can BJP make a Dalit, Adivasi its party president?” he asked.